IOTM Blog
Posted: Oct 10, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.
"When you’re touring full-time, every cubic inch in the back of your van counts. You can’t be a hoarder and tour efficiently, but fitting your daily necessities into a suitcase-shaped hole isn’t easy. Here are some strategies I learned on the road to help you consolidate your life into your car so you can comfortably tour for a living."
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 2, 2017
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest Post by Ian Temple of Soundfly.
"If you’re anything like me, your practice routine is something you do intuitively. It often involves sitting down with your instrument, playing a few scales, banging around for 20 minutes on a few songs or improvs, maybe working on something specific for 10 minutes in a repetitive manner, and then bowing out. Basically, it’s casual, repetitive, and thoughtless. The problem is that these tendencies are the exact opposite of what we should be doing if we want to see real improvement, according to Dr. Anders Ericsson." View Full Article
Posted: Sep 25, 2017
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"We all have seen people come up with life hacks and thought “why didn’t I think of that?” Well, here are some travel hacks tailored to bands on the road..." View Full Article
Posted: Sep 18, 2017
Category: Lodging
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**Guest post written by Road Bill Boronkay, Ignite Hospitality Services Blog Associate.
"For many, the "Romance of the Road" includes the finest in gas station dining. The fact that we’re making a living doing what we love isn’t lost on those who hire us, many of whom apparently think our “love of the game” can pay bills, since many pay rates have stayed flat the last 15 years or even decreased. Part of the game is getting to the stage with some money in your pocket..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 11, 2017
Category: Music Streaming
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**Guest post written by Corey Koehler, an indie singer-songwriter from Minnesota, as featured in his blog MusicGoat.com.
"Do you think a Spotify payment like .004891 cents per play sucks? Then you are gonna love this…" View Full Article
Posted: Sep 5, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Carlos Castillo of Schwilly Family Musicians - music marketing strategist, web designer, live performance recordist, international road-tripper, lap steel player, and Captain of the Schwilly Family.
"Over in our Facebook Group I was asking about what excuses people are allowing to hold them back. As it turns out I've had a LOT of the same excuses hold me back over the years. So I reckon it would be useful for you to know how I put them behind me. Interested? Here we go!"
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 28, 2017
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"One of the best things to do in order to improve your live performance is to record your shows. You can record audio only, or record video. Either way, make it a point to review your recordings and critique yourself. Don't be too critical, but be honest with yourself. This is a great way to find what works, and what doesn't work." View Full Article
Posted: Aug 21, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Ari Herstand, the author of How To Make It in the New Music Business.
"I’ve made a ton of mistakes and got screwed over by talent buyers, promoters and club owners more times than I’d like to admit. I learned everything the hard way and it took me years to figure out how to actually book a successful, money making tour. The biggest thing you want to remember when thinking about setting up a tour is: do not book a tour just to go on tour..." View Full Article
Posted: Aug 14, 2017
Category: Online Presence
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**Guest post written by Rachel M., originally featured on Push Power Promo's Blog.
"Everyone has a Soundcloud profile, but not everyone is using theirs to its fullest potential to make their music brand look good! Having a solid music profile page includes providing your page visitors with the right information, a great online personality and a music catalog they will be excited about! Here are the top mistakes to avoid with your Soundcloud profile." View Full Article
Posted: Aug 7, 2017
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post written by Michael Corcoran of musicSUBMIT.
"Let’s say you’ve reached out to a few college and internet radio stations with your music...and - gasp - the Radio Station actually replied to say they listened and really dug your stuff...You’re still a few steps away from actually getting the airplay you’ve been promised. If you neglect these final steps, don’t be surprised if your song never gets played on that station." View Full Article
Posted: Jul 31, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.
"For ages, there’s been a cliché dream for any would-be musician...You’re immediately bombarded by these different suits throwing you offers from every record label you could think of, and finally, you’ve made it. You’re “signed...It’s all bullshit.” View Full Article
Posted: Jul 24, 2017
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Allison Stafford, lead singer and acoustic rhythm guitarist for the Southern Country band No Deceit.
"We all know as musicians that the Merch Sales and Tips can be the saving grace of a show! You may not make a lot of money from the venue that you’re playing, or anything for that matter, but sometimes, you can make more in a tip jar or in merch sales than you would from the venue anyway! How do you get people directed toward your mech and tip bucket?"
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 17, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Zac Green of Zing Instruments.
"Not many people are willing to admit this, but the hardest challenge of being in a successful band is not killing each other when you’re stuck in close proximity for a long period of time. If you’ve got your first tour coming up, or you’re looking for a way to make the next one better than the PTSD-inducing nightmare from last time, read on for the 5 golden rules of touring with your band..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 10, 2017
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post written by Jonathan Sexton, CEO of Bandposters.
"It’s hard to stay on top of all the things you have to do to break your band and make a living...To keep ahead of the game, time management is key. So we’ve put together a weekly calendar for you, with some helpful things you can do early in the week to help sell out your shows on the weekends..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 3, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Paula Tolly, one half of the Boca Raton based Americana duo 33 Years.
"Did your bass player just move out of town? Are you broke and can’t afford the next photo shoot? Looking for a way to make a bigger online splash?? Don’t fret! Here are a few DIY Band Fixes that you can try RIGHT NOW before your next gig."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 26, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Canadian entertainment lawyer Byron Pascoe, originally featured on Bandzoogle.com.
"Before signing a contract with a label, it’s important to understand what you’re signing. When I’m reviewing a record label agreement for an artist, it’s not uncommon for there to be a number of “red flags” – warnings to watch out for in the agreement and/or the relationship with the label. The following list (in no particular order) provides some common red flags to keep in mind..." View Full Article
Posted: Jun 19, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.
"It’s almost understood that if you’re a musician, you’re likely unemployed, homeless, broke or all three. I deal with it constantly when people ask what I do for a living. Though I love writing and booking, I will always and forever identify as a “musician.” It’s my passion and my purpose and here’s the kicker: I’m not broke. The reason for that, is that I have approached my music like a business from the get-go." View Full Article
Posted: Jun 12, 2017
Category: Songwriting
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**Guest post written by Matt Lindley.
"Every musician takes inspiration from their heroes – modern pop music owes a debt of gratitude to the Beatles and Elvis Presley, while the lineage of hip-hop runs from 1970s New York acts like Afrika Bambaataa and Kool Herc to modern stars like Drake and Kendrick Lamar. But how much do you know about the careers of the legendary artists that have paved the way? And what can the musicians of today learn from them?" View Full Article
Posted: Jun 5, 2017
Category: Copyright
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**Guest post written by Clay Mills, hit songwriter, producer, performer, and founder of SongTown.com.
"For years I have heard the phrase “Poor Man’s Copyright” thrown around in songwriting circles. The term is often brought up as a cheap alternative to an official $35 copyright from the US Copyright Office...BUT..." View Full Article
Posted: May 30, 2017
Category: Recording
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**Guest post written by Ben Jacklin.
"For any touring outfit, life on the road can be fun, but can also mean a lot of fast food, cramming in the back of vans and plenty of spare time. For musicians, this can present an opportunity to write, practice and even record songs whilst making your way from one show to another. We’ve put together some top tips for putting together your next demo whilst you’re touring, the perfect way to fill the hours from one city to another and at a time when many bands and artists can be at their most creative."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 22, 2017
Category: Licensing
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**Guest post written by Donna Kay of Donna Kay & The Carousers.
"After the time and expense of recording, mixing, designing the cover artwork, and launching the CD, I had two tasks: Copyright the CD, and obtain the licenses to release (for sale) and perform our version of “Minor Swing”...I had to obtain two permissions to use the song: One from the owner of the publishing rights, and after submitting their permission in writing, the Easy Song standard licensing fee to record and perform our version of the song. This took a full month of digging, e-mailing, getting responses and finally finding two brothers in NYC who run a publishing company and own the rights the song."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 15, 2017
Category: Online Presence
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**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey of Bandzoogle.
"...when someone gets to your band’s page, you want to be sure to grab their attention right away...You want to make sure they find the most important information. Their eyes will gravitate towards text and a button. With this in mind, make it count by adding a call-to-action." View Full Article
Posted: May 8, 2017
Category: Social Media
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**Guest post by Paul Doffing, (Indie musician, and marketer at BlitzMetrics).
"Making a living as a performer, band, or songwriter relies on one major factor: finding your audience. Today a great bulk of “audience finding” happens online, amidst the rapidly evolving mechanics of social media. Whether you regard the pervasiveness of social media as a positive or a negative thing, social media is a tool that you can utilize to get heard. In this post I’ll explain how to get the most out of Facebook, but first, a little history."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 1, 2017
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.
"Working remotely isn’t for everyone...So know yourself and realize that these methods don’t work for everyone. However, I thrive on the chaos. I accept the challenge daily of having my cake and literally eating it, too...To optimize your experience, experiment with the following tips and tricks..." View Full Article
Posted: Apr 24, 2017
Category: Lodging
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**Guest post written by Matt Bacon, originally featured on IndependentMusicPromotions.com.
"There is an art to finding a place to sleep with your band for the night...The struggle is real, every day you need to make a new friend and charm someone enough to let you into their lives even just for a night...The point being: Finding places to stay is a key skill to learn on tour. Here’s what my time on the road has taught me about it..." View Full Article